Category Archives: Pizza

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One of the things my husband, Chris, and I like to cook together at home is pizza (recipe here and here). It’s quick and easy to make and allows us to customize and be creative with the toppings. When we have time, we like to make our own pizza dough, but when we’re on-the-go, like this weekend, pre-made dough from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods does the trick just fine. Just roll the dough and add toppings and it’s ready to go in the oven.

Making gourmet pizza at home is easier than you think . . . and a lot of fun, too! The beauty of making it yourself is that there’s more flexibility so you can add all your favorite toppings and it’s usually less expensive than at the pizzeria. After a few tries . . . you’ll probably be hooked and won’t want to wait for your pizza to be delivered!

On a trip to San Francisco a couple of years back, we had dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant, Postrio, located in the Prescott Hotel in Union Square. We sat at the bar and ordered two of Puck’s wood-fired pizzas – the Smoked Salmon with dill and crème frâiche and the Prosciutto & Figs with balsamic, mascarpone cheese, and truffle oil. The Smoked Salmon quickly became his signature pizza when he opened the original Spago’s in 1982. It was a huge hit with the Hollywood crowd who couldn’t get enough of the smoked salmon topped with caviar. Although Postrio’s version omitted the pricey roe, it was still a great pizza. However, what stole the show was the other pizza we ordered, the Prosciutto and Figs. This is still one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had. I mean, who wouldn’t love this?! Just imagine it – chewy pizza dough with a base of mascarpone cheese covered with a generous amount of prosciutto and arugula drizzled with a balsamic glaze and truffle oil. Right after inhaling that pizza, while still sitting there at the bar, I wrote all the ingredients so we could try replicate it as best we can when we got home. Continue reading →

It has now been several Sundays in a row that Chris and I have stayed home and cooked all day. Yesterday was no exception. After our visits to Sprouts, Smart and Final and Ralphs for all the necessary ingredients, we were delighted to spend the rest of the day in the kitchen. Between the two of us, we made ice cream, simmered pork for ramen, and pickled some eggs à la Joe Jost. We also made marinara sauce and pizza dough for two pizzas – one with pesto sauce and the other with the marinara. While waiting for the pizza dough to rise, Chris managed to make a piña colada for me and a margarita for himself.